Sailbattical-The Sequel | s/v Zeelandia

Trip Time: 101 hours
Distance: 504nm
Top speed: 12.1kn
Average speed: 4.9kn

First stop, Cobourg.

On my way to Cobourg I managed to drop my 5gal. bucket into the lake. It floated for a while as I scrambled to heave to so I could fetch it back but alas it sank. The biting stable flies were an absolute menace. I call them a pleasure tax, and like taxes in general they seem a high price to pay. I wore out my flyswatter on the dang things. So, it was awesome of my Dad to bring me a new bucket, replete with Canadian Tire logo, and not one but TWO new flyswatters!

Next stop Presqu’ile Bay

I left Cobourg around noon in the sunshine and a perfect breeze. That was short-lived because a few hours later thunderstorms and squalls kicked up huge waves and left me sloshing around in their wake. But I persevered and by evening I was sailing along quite happily into Presqu’ile Bay for a sweet anchorage and well deserved sleep.

Navy Bay, Kingston.

I anchored at Old Fort Henry on Thursday night, July 22 2021.

Thousand Islands always delivers the beauty!

Found a sweet anchorage between Hooper Island and Shanty Island.

Iroquois! and on through the locks to Montreal

Another great anchorage between Toussant Island and Presqu’ile right at Iroquois locks. Turns out my crew, Wayne, couldn’t get aboard at the locks as planned but the lockmaster let me go through alone and I picked Wanker up at the Galop Canal Marina next to the locks.

Locking through went fairly well. Our timing was great. Eisenhower and Snell were way easier than I expected but soon after that in the evening the squally thunderstorms made us anchor at 45 10.012N 74.572W for the night but we weighed anchor again at 4:30am. We got lucky as we arrived at the Valleyfield bridge because a ship was passing through so we moved on to Beauharnois upper and lower locks. We then anchored at Kahnawake just before the entrance to the canal that would take us through the St. Catherine and St. Lambert locks the next day, Tuesday July 27.

I filled the diesel tank, water tank, and charged the batteries. Took a shower, did laundry. Wayne and Tannissa drove me to the grocery store and Canadian Tire for coolant.

Ile la Piere to Portneuf

What a sail! NW 20kts all day. 11 hours, 64nm. Top speed 12kts!!!! (with current of course)

Portneuf to Quebec City

Another amazing sail. 6 hrs 34nm. Anchored in the bay out just east of Quebec City at 7pm. Watched a beautiful sunset.

Quebec City to Cap-à-l’Aigle

Yet another amazing day of sailing. That’s three in a row!! I sailed off anchor at Quebec City at 0750, 3 hours before high tide. The forecast of SW 15-25kts happened. I made the 82 mile trip in 12 hours, almost entirely dead downwind. I started with wing and wing poled out but when the 25kts kicked in it was just the main with first reef tucked in. Had to hand steer for 7 hours straight due to Ray not being able to handle the 2 meter following seas that tried to pick up the stern and pass the bow.